Compositions for use in identification of orthopoxviruses

ABSTRACT

Oligonucleotide primers and compositions and kits containing the same for rapid identification of  orthopoxviruses  by amplification of a segment of viral nucleic acid followed by molecular mass analysis are provided.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/728,486 filed Dec. 5, 2003, and claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/604,329 filed Aug. 24, 2004, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

This invention was made with United States Government support under DARPA/SPO contract BAA00-09. The United States Government may have certain rights in the invention.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of genetic identification and quantification of orthopoxviruses and provides methods, compositions and kits useful for this purpose, as well as others, when combined with molecular mass analysis.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A. Orthopoxviruses

The poxviruses comprise a large family of complex DNA viruses that infect both vertebrate and invertebrate hosts. General properties of the Poxvirus family include (a) a large complex virion containing enzymes for mRNA synthesis, (b) a genome composed of a single linear double-strand DNA molecule of 130 to 300 kilobases, and (c) the ability to replicate within the cytoplasmic compartment of the cell. The vertebrate poxviruses have been placed into six genera: Orthopoxvirus, Parapoxvirus, Capripoxvirus, Leporipoxvirus, Suipoxvirus, and Avipoxvirus.

Three members of the Orthopoxvirus genus are known to cause disease in humans. The most notorious member of the Poxvirus family is the variola virus which, before its eradication, was responsible for smallpox. Cowpox virus and Monkeypox virus also cause disease in humans. Additional members of the Orthopoxvirus genus include: Buffalopox virus, Camelpox virus, Rabbitpox virus, Raccoonpox virus, Volepox virus and Ectromeila virus.

B. Bioagent Detection

A problem in determining the cause of a natural infectious outbreak or a bioterrorist attack is the sheer variety of organisms that can cause human disease. There are over 1400 organisms infectious to humans; many of these have the potential to emerge suddenly in a natural epidemic or to be used in a malicious attack by bioterrorists (Taylor et al., Philos. Trans. R. Soc. London B. Biol. Sci., 2001, 356, 983-989). This number does not include numerous strain variants, bioengineered versions, or pathogens that infect plants or animals.

Much of the new technology being developed for detection of biological weapons incorporates a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) step based upon the use of highly specific primers and probes designed to selectively detect individual pathogenic organisms. Although this approach is appropriate for the most obvious bioterrorist organisms, like smallpox and anthrax, experience has shown that it is very difficult to predict which of hundreds of possible pathogenic organisms might be employed in a terrorist attack. Likewise, naturally emerging human disease that has caused devastating consequence in public health has come from unexpected families of bacteria, viruses, fungi, or protozoa. Plants and animals also have their natural burden of infectious disease agents and there are equally important biosafety and security concerns for agriculture.

An alternative to single-agent tests is to perform broad-range consensus priming of a gene target conserved across groups of bioagents. Broad-range priming has the potential to generate amplification products across entire genera, families, or, as with bacteria, an entire domain of life. This strategy has been successfully employed using consensus 16S ribosomal RNA primers for determining bacterial diversity, both in environmental samples (Schmidt et al., J. Bact., 1991, 173, 4371-4378) and in natural human flora (Kroes et al., Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. (USA), 1999, 96, 14547-14552). One drawback of this approach for unknown bioagent detection and epidemiology is that analysis of the PCR products requires cloning and sequencing of hundreds to thousands of colonies per sample, which is impractical to perform rapidly or on a large number of samples.

Conservation of sequence is not as universal for viruses. Large groups of viral species, however, share conserved protein-coding regions, such as regions encoding viral polymerases or helicases. Like bacteria, consensus priming has also been described for detection of several viral families, including coronaviruses (Stephensen et al., Vir. Res., 1999, 60, 181-189), enteroviruses (Oberste et al., J. Virol., 2002, 76, 1244-51; Oberste et al., J. Clin. Virol., 2003, 26, 375-7; and Oberste et al., Virus Res., 2003, 91, 241-8), retroid viruses (Mack et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 1988, 85, 6977-81; Seifarth et al., AIDS Res. Hum. Retroviruses, 2000, 16, 721-729; and Donehower et al., J. Vir. Methods, 1990, 28, 33-46), and adenoviruses (Echavarria et al., J. Clin. Micro., 1998, 36, 3323-3326). However, as with bacteria, there is no adequate analytical method other than sequencing to identify the viral bioagent present.

In contrast to PCR-based methods, mass spectrometry provides detailed information about the molecules being analyzed, including high mass accuracy. It is also a process that can be easily automated. DNA chips with specific probes can only determine the presence or absence of specifically anticipated organisms. Because there are hundreds of thousands of species of benign pathogens, some very similar in sequence to threat organisms, even arrays with 10,000 probes lack the breadth needed to identify a particular organism.

There is a need for a method for identification of bioagents which is both specific and rapid, and in which no culture or nucleic acid sequencing is required.

The present invention provides, inter alia, methods of identifying unknown viruses, including viruses of the Orthopoxvirus genus. Also provided are oligonucleotide primers, compositions, and kits containing the oligonucleotide primers, which define orthopoxvirus identifying amplicons and, upon amplification, produce corresponding amplification products whose molecular masses provide the means to identify orthopoxviruses at the species and sub-species or strain level.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides, inter alia, primers and compositions comprising pairs of primers, and kits containing the same for use in identification of orthopoxviruses. The primers are designed to produce orthopoxvirus identifying amplicons of DNA encoding genes essential to orthopoxvirus replication. The invention further provides compositions comprising one or more pairs of primers and kits containing the same, which are designed to provide species and sub-species or strain level characterization of orthopoxviruses.

The individual orthopoxvirus primers of the invention are primers that are 13 to 35 nucleobases in length comprising at least 70% sequence identity with any of SEQ ID NOs: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, and 29. The primer pairs of the invention comprise these same individual primers in the following combinations: SEQ ID NOs: 1:24, 2:25, 3:26, 4:27, 5:28, and 6:29. The kits of the invention can comprise any combination of the same primer pairs.

The invention also provides methods of using the primer pairs and kits comprising the same for identification of orthopoxviruses and also for determining the presence or absence of an orthopoxvirus in a sample by using the primer pairs to obtain orthopoxvirus bioagent identifying amplicons, determining their molecular masses or base compositions and comparing the molecular masses or base compositions with molecular masses or base compositions of known orthopoxvirus bioagent identifying amplicons.

The invention also provides orthopoxvirus bioagent identifying amplicons obtained by amplification of a segment of a genome of an orthopoxvirus with any of the primer pairs listed above. The orthopoxvirus genomes from which orthopoxvirus bioagent identifying amplicons are obtained include, but are not limited to, the GenBank Accession numbers given in Table 3 (vide infra).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a representative process diagram illustrating a representative primer design process.

FIG. 2 is a representative process diagram for identification and determination of the quantity of a bioagent in a sample.

FIG. 3 is a pseudo 4-D plot of base compositions of orthopoxviruses obtained with primer pair number 299.

FIG. 4 is a pseudo 4-D plot of base compositions of orthopoxviruses obtained with primer pair number 297.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The present invention provides, inter alia, methods for detection and identification of orthopoxviruses in an unbiased manner using orthopoxvirus identifying amplicons. Intelligent primers are selected to hybridize to conserved sequence regions of nucleic acids derived from an orthopoxvirus and which bracket or flank variable sequence regions to yield an orthopoxvirus identifying amplicon. The orthopoxvirus identifying amplicon can be amplified and is amenable to molecular mass determination. The molecular mass then provides a means to uniquely identify the orthopoxvirus without a requirement for prior knowledge of the possible identity of the orthopoxvirus. The molecular mass or corresponding base composition signature (BCS) of the amplification product is then matched against a database of molecular masses or base composition signatures. Furthermore, the method can be applied to rapid parallel multiplex analyses, the results of which can be employed in a triangulation identification strategy. The present method provides rapid throughput and does not require nucleic acid sequencing of the amplified target sequence for orthopoxvirus detection and identification.

In the context of the present invention, a “bioagent” is any organism, cell, or virus, living or dead, or a nucleic acid derived from such an organism, cell or virus. Examples of bioagents include, but are not limited, to cells, including but not limited to human clinical samples, cell cultures, bacterial cells and other pathogens), viruses, viroids, fungi, protists, parasites, and pathogenicity markers (including but not limited to: pathogenicity islands, antibiotic resistance genes, virulence factors, toxin genes and other bioregulating compounds). Samples may be alive or dead or in a vegetative state (for example, vegetative bacteria or spores) and may be encapsulated or bioengineered. In the context of this invention, a “pathogen” is a bioagent which causes a disease or disorder.

As used herein, “intelligent primers” are primers that are designed to bind to highly conserved sequence regions of a bioagent identifying amplicon that flank an intervening variable region and yield amplification products which ideally provide enough variability to distinguish each individual bioagent, and which are amenable to molecular mass analysis. By the term “highly conserved,” it is meant that the sequence regions exhibit between about 80-100%, or between about 90-100%, or between about 95-100% identity among all or at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 90%, at least 95%, or at least 99% of species or strains.

As used herein, “broad range survey primers” are intelligent primers designed to identify an unknown bioagent at the genus level. In some cases, broad range survey primers are able to identify unknown bioagents at the species or sub-species level. As used herein, “division-wide primers” are intelligent primers designed to identify a bioagent at the species level and “drill-down” primers are intelligent primers designed to identify a bioagent at the sub-species level. As used herein, the “sub-species” level of identification includes, but is not limited to, strains, subtypes, variants, and isolates.

As used herein, a “bioagent division” is defined as group of bioagents above the species level and includes but is not limited to, orders, families, classes, clades, genera or other such groupings of bioagents above the species level.

As used herein, a “sub-species characteristic” is a genetic characteristic that provides the means to distinguish two members of the same bioagent species. For example, one viral strain could be distinguished from another viral strain of the same species by possessing a genetic change (e.g., for example, a nucleotide deletion, addition or substitution) in one of the viral genes, such as the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. In this case, the sub-species characteristic that can be identified using the methods of the present invention is the genetic change in the viral polymerase.

As used herein, the term “bioagent identifying amplicon” refers to a polynucleotide that is amplified from a bioagent in an amplification reaction whose sequence 1) ideally provides base composition variability to distinguish among individual bioagents and 2) whose molecular mass is amenable to molecular mass determination.

As used herein, a “base composition” is the exact number of each nucleobase (A, T, C and G) in a given sequence. As used herein, a “base composition signature” (BCS) is the exact base composition (i.e., the number of A, T, G and C nucleobases) determined from the molecular mass of a bioagent identifying amplicon.

As used herein, a “base composition probability cloud” is a representation of the diversity in base composition resulting from a variation in sequence that occurs among different isolates of a given species. The “base composition probability cloud” represents the base composition constraints for each species and is typically visualized using a pseudo four-dimensional plot.

As used herein, a “wobble base” is a variation in a codon found at the third nucleotide position of a DNA triplet. Variations in conserved regions of sequence are often found at the third nucleotide position due to redundancy in the amino acid code.

In the context of the present invention, the term “unknown bioagent” may mean either: (i) a bioagent whose existence is known (such as the well known bacterial species Staphylococcus aureus for example) but which is not known to be in a sample to be analyzed, or (ii) a bioagent whose existence is not known (for example, the SARS coronavirus was unknown prior to April 2003). For example, if the method for identification of coronaviruses disclosed in commonly owned U.S. patent Ser. No. 10/829,826 (incorporated herein by reference in its entirety) was to be employed prior to April 2003 to identify the SARS coronavirus in a clinical sample, both meanings of “unknown” bioagent are applicable since the SARS coronavirus was unknown to science prior to April, 2003 and since it was not known what bioagent (in this case a coronavirus) was present in the sample. On the other hand, if the method of U.S. patent Ser. No. 10/829,826 was to be employed subsequent to April 2003 to identify the SARS coronavirus in a clinical sample, only the first meaning (i) of “unknown” bioagent would apply since the SARS coronavirus became known to science subsequent to April 2003 and since it was not known what bioagent was present in the sample.

As used herein, “triangulation identification” means the employment of more than one bioagent identifying amplicons for identification of a bioagent.

In the context of the present invention, “viral nucleic acid” includes, but is not limited to, DNA, RNA, or DNA that has been obtained from viral RNA, such as, for example, by performing a reverse transcription reaction. Viral RNA can either be single-stranded (of positive or negative polarity) or double-stranded.

As used herein, the term “etiology” refers to the causes or origins, of diseases or abnormal physiological conditions.

As used herein, the term “nucleobase” is synonymous with other terms in use in the art including “nucleotide,” “deoxynucleotide,” “nucleotide residue,” “deoxynucleotide residue,” “nucleotide triphosphate (NTP),” or deoxynucleotide triphosphate (dNTP).

Despite enormous biological diversity, all forms of life on earth share sets of essential, common features in their genomes. Since genetic data provide the underlying basis for identification of orthopoxvirus by the methods of the present invention, it is desirable to select segments of nucleic acids which ideally provide enough variability to distinguish each individual bioagent and whose molecular mass is amenable to molecular mass determination.

Unlike bacterial genomes, which exhibit conversation of numerous genes (i.e. housekeeping genes) across all organisms, viruses do not share a gene that is essential and conserved among all virus families. Therefore, viral identification is achieved within smaller groups of related viruses, such as members of a particular virus family or genus. For example, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase is present in all single-stranded RNA viruses and can be used for broad priming as well as resolution within the virus family.

Disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2003-0027135, 2003-0082539, 2003-0228571, 2004-0209260, 2004-0219517, and 2004-0180328, and in U.S. application Ser. Nos. 10/660,997, 10/728,486, 10/754,415, and 10/829,826, all of which are commonly owned and incorporated herein by reference in their entirety, are methods for identification of bioagents (any organism, cell, or virus, living or dead, or a nucleic acid derived from such an organism, cell or virus) in an unbiased manner by molecular mass and base composition analysis of “bioagent identifying amplicons” which are obtained by amplification of segments of essential and conserved genes which are involved in, for example, translation, replication, recombination and repair, transcription, nucleotide metabolism, amino acid metabolism, lipid metabolism, energy generation, uptake, secretion and the like. Examples of these proteins include, but are not limited to, ribosomal RNAs, ribosomal proteins, DNA and RNA polymerases, RNA-dependent RNA polymerases, RNA capping and methylation enzymes, elongation factors, tRNA synthetases, protein chain initiation factors, heat shock protein groEL, phosphoglycerate kinase, NADH dehydrogenase, DNA ligases, DNA gyrases and DNA topoisomerases, helicases, metabolic enzymes, and the like.

To obtain bioagent identifying amplicons, primers are selected to hybridize to conserved sequence regions which bracket or flank variable sequence regions to yield a segment of nucleic acid which can be amplified and which is amenable to methods of molecular mass analysis. The variable sequence regions provide the variability of molecular mass which is used for bioagent identification. Upon amplification by PCR or other amplification methods with the specifically chosen primers, an amplification product that represents a bioagent identifying amplicon is obtained. The molecular mass of the amplification product, obtained by mass spectrometry for example, provides the means to uniquely identify the bioagent without a requirement for prior knowledge of the possible identity of the bioagent. The molecular mass of the amplification product or the corresponding base composition (which can be calculated from the molecular mass of the amplification product) is compared with a database of molecular masses or base compositions and a match indicates the identity of the bioagent. Furthermore, the method can be applied to rapid parallel analyses (for example, in a multi-well plate format) the results of which can be employed in a triangulation identification strategy which is amenable to rapid throughput and does not require nucleic acid sequencing of the amplified target sequence for bioagent identification.

The result of determination of a previously unknown base composition of a previously unknown bioagent (for example, a newly evolved and heretofore unobserved virus) has downstream utility by providing new bioagent indexing information with which to populate base composition databases. The process of subsequent bioagent identification analyses is, thus, greatly improved as more base composition data for bioagent identifying amplicons becomes available.

In some embodiments of the present invention, at least one viral nucleic acid segment is amplified in the process of identifying the viral bioagent. Thus, the nucleic acid segments that can be amplified by the primers disclosed herein and that provide enough variability to distinguish each individual bioagent and whose molecular masses are amenable to molecular mass determination are herein described as viral bioagent identifying amplicons.

In some embodiments of the present invention, viral bioagent identifying amplicons comprise from about 45 to about 200 nucleobases (i.e. from about 45 to about 200 linked nucleosides; or up to about 200 nucleobases). One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the invention embodies viral bioagent identifying amplicons of 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 179, 180, 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 188, 189, 190, 191, 192, 193, 194, 195, 196, 197, 198, 199, and 200 nucleobases in length, or any range therewithin.

It is the combination of the portions of the viral bioagent nucleic acid segment to which the primers hybridize (hybridization sites) and the variable region between the primer hybridization sites that comprises the viral bioagent identifying amplicon.

In some embodiments, viral bioagent identifying amplicons amenable to molecular mass determination which are produced by the primers described herein are either of a length, size or mass compatible with the particular mode of molecular mass determination or compatible with a means of providing a predictable fragmentation pattern in order to obtain predictable fragments of a length compatible with the particular mode of molecular mass determination. Such means of providing a predictable fragmentation pattern of an amplification product include, but are not limited to, cleavage with restriction enzymes or cleavage primers, for example. Thus, in some embodiments, viral bioagent identifying amplicons are larger than 200 nucleobases and are amenable to molecular mass determination following restriction digestion. Methods of using restriction enzymes and cleavage primers are well known to those with ordinary skill in the art.

In some embodiments, amplification products corresponding to viral bioagent identifying amplicons are obtained using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) which is a routine method to those with ordinary skill in the molecular biology arts. Other amplification methods may be used such as ligase chain reaction (LCR), low-stringency single primer PCR, and multiple strand displacement amplification (MDA). These methods are also well known to those with ordinary skill.

Intelligent primers are designed to bind to highly conserved sequence regions that flank an intervening variable region and yield viral bioagent identifying amplicons upon amplification, which ideally provide enough variability to distinguish each individual viral bioagent, and which are amenable to molecular mass analysis. In some embodiments, the highly conserved sequence regions exhibit between about 80-100%, or between about 90-100%, or between about 95-100% identity, or between about 99-100% identity. The molecular mass of a given amplification product provides a means of identifying the viral bioagent from which it was obtained, due to the variability of the variable region. Thus, design of intelligent primers requires selection of a variable region with appropriate variability to resolve the identity of a given bioagent. Viral bioagent identifying amplicons are ideally specific to the identity of the viral bioagent, however, this is not an absolute requirement because multiple viral bioagent identifying amplicons can be used in a triangulation strategy (vide infra).

Identification of viral bioagents can be accomplished at different taxonomic levels using intelligent primers suited to resolution of each individual level of identification. Broad range survey intelligent primers are designed with the objective of identifying a bioagent as a member of a particular division (e.g., an order, family, genus or other such grouping of viral bioagents above the species level). As a non-limiting example, members of the Orthopoxvirus genus may be identified as such by employing broad range survey intelligent primers such as primers which target RNA or DNA polymerases, helicases, or other viral genes. In some embodiments, broad range survey intelligent primers are capable of identification of bioagents at the species, sub-species or strain level.

Division-wide intelligent primers are designed with an objective of identifying a bioagent at the species level. Division-wide intelligent primers are not always required for identification at the species level because broad range survey intelligent primers may provide sufficient identification resolution to accomplishing this identification objective.

Drill-down intelligent primers are designed with the objective of identifying a bioagent at the sub-species level (including strains, subtypes, variants and isolates) based on sub-species characteristics. Drill-down intelligent primers are not always required for identification at the sub-species level because broad range survey intelligent primers may provide sufficient identification resolution to accomplishing this identification objective.

A representative process flow diagram used for primer selection and validation process is outlined in FIG. 1. For each group of organisms, candidate target sequences are identified (200) from which nucleotide alignments are created (210) and analyzed (220). Primers are then designed by selecting appropriate priming regions (230) which then enables the selection of candidate primer pairs (240). The primer pairs are then subjected to in silico analysis by electronic PCR (ePCR) (300) wherein bioagent identifying amplicons are obtained from sequence databases such as GenBank or other sequence collections (310) and checked for specificity in silico (320). Bioagent identifying amplicons obtained from GenBank sequences (310) can also be analyzed by a probability model which predicts the capability of a given amplicon to identify unknown bioagents such that the base compositions of amplicons with favorable probability scores are then stored in a base composition database (325). Alternatively, base compositions of the bioagent identifying amplicons obtained from the primers and GenBank sequences can be directly entered into the base composition database (330). Candidate primer pairs (240) are validated by in vitro amplification by a method such as PCR analysis (400) of nucleic acid from a collection of organisms (410). Amplification products thus obtained are analyzed to confirm the sensitivity, specificity and reproducibility of the primers used to obtain the amplification products (420).

Many of the important pathogens, including the organisms of greatest concern as biological weapons agents, have been completely sequenced. This effort has greatly facilitated the design of primers and probes for the detection of individual bioagents. Thus, the combination of broad-range priming with division-wide and drill-down priming described herein is being used very successfully in several applications of the technology, including environmental surveillance for biowarfare threat agents and clinical sample analysis for medically important pathogens.

Synthesis of primers is well known and routine in the art. The primers may be conveniently and routinely made through the well-known technique of solid phase synthesis. Equipment for such synthesis is sold by several vendors including, for example, Applied Biosystems (Foster City, Calif.). Any other means for such synthesis known in the art may additionally or alternatively be employed.

The primers are employed as, for example, compositions for use in methods for identification of viral bioagents as follows: a primer pair composition is contacted with nucleic acid (such as, for example, DNA from a DNA virus, or DNA reverse transcribed from the RNA of an RNA virus) of an unknown viral bioagent. The nucleic acid is then amplified by a nucleic acid amplification technique, such as PCR for example, to obtain an amplification product that represents a viral bioagent identifying amplicon. The molecular mass of each strand of the double-stranded amplification product is determined by a molecular mass measurement technique such as, for example, mass spectrometry wherein the two strands of the double-stranded amplification product are separated during the ionization process. In some embodiments, the mass spectrometry is electrospray Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (ESI-FTICR-MS) or electrospray time of flight mass spectrometry (ESI-TOF-MS). A list of possible base compositions can be generated for the molecular mass value obtained for each strand and the choice of the correct base composition from the list is facilitated by matching the base composition of one strand with a complementary base composition of the other strand. The molecular mass or base composition thus determined is then compared with a database of molecular masses or base compositions of analogous bioagent identifying amplicons for known viral bioagents. A match between the molecular mass or base composition of the amplification product and the molecular mass or base composition of an analogous bioagent identifying amplicon for a known viral bioagent indicates the presence and/or identity of the unknown bioagent. In some embodiments, the primer pair used is one of the primer pairs of Table 1. In some embodiments, the method is repeated using a different primer pair to resolve possible ambiguities in the identification process or to improve the confidence level for the identification assignment.

In some embodiments, a viral bioagent identifying amplicon may be produced using only a single primer (either the forward or reverse primer of any given primer pair), provided an appropriate amplification method is chosen, such as, for example, low stringency single primer PCR (LSSP-PCR). Adaptation of this amplification method in order to produce viral bioagent identifying amplicons can be accomplished by one with ordinary skill in the art without undue experimentation.

In some embodiments, the oligonucleotide primers are broad range survey primers which hybridize to conserved regions of nucleic acid encoding DNA polymerase, RNA polymerase, DNA helicase, RNA helicase, or thioredoxin-like gene of all (or between 80% and 100%, between 85% and 100%, between 90% and 100%, or between 95% and 100%) known orthopoxviruses and produce orthopoxvirus identifying amplicons. As used herein, the phrase “broad range survey primers” refers to primers that bind to nucleic acid encoding genes essential to orthopoxvirus replication (e.g., for example, DNA and RNA polymerases, RNA and RNA helicases and thioredoxin-like gene) of all (or between 80% and 100%, between 85% and 100%, between 90% and 100%, or between 95% and 100%) known species of orthopoxviruses. In some embodiments, the primer pairs comprise oligonucleotides ranging in length from 13 to 35 nucleobases, each of which have from 70% to 100% sequence identity with any of the primers shown in Table 1.

In some cases, the molecular mass or base composition of a viral bioagent identifying amplicon defined by a broad range survey primer pair does not provide enough resolution to unambiguously identify a viral bioagent at the species level. These cases benefit from further analysis of one or more viral bioagent identifying amplicons generated from at least one additional broad range survey primer pair or from at least one additional division-wide primer pair. The employment of more than one bioagent identifying amplicon for identification of a bioagent is herein referred to as “triangulation identification.”

In other embodiments, the oligonucleotide primers are division-wide primers which hybridize to nucleic acid encoding genes of species within a genus of viruses. In other embodiments, the oligonucleotide primers are drill-down primers which enable the identification of sub-species characteristics. Drill down primers provide the functionality of producing bioagent identifying amplicons for drill-down analyses such as genotyping or strain typing when contacted with nucleic acid under amplification conditions. Identification of such sub-species characteristics is often critical for determining proper clinical treatment of viral infections. In some embodiments, sub-species characteristics are identified using only broad range survey primers and division-wide, and drill-down primers are not used.

In some embodiments, the primers used for amplification hybridize to and amplify genomic DNA, DNA of bacterial plasmids, DNA of DNA viruses or DNA reverse transcribed from RNA of an RNA virus.

In some embodiments, the primers used for amplification hybridize directly to viral RNA and act as reverse transcription primers for obtaining DNA from direct amplification of viral RNA. Methods of amplifying RNA using reverse transcriptase are well known to those with ordinary skill in the art and can be routinely established without undue experimentation.

One with ordinary skill in the art of design of amplification primers will recognize that a given primer need not hybridize with 100% complementarity in order to effectively prime the synthesis of a complementary nucleic acid strand in an amplification reaction. Moreover, a primer may hybridize over one or more segments such that intervening or adjacent segments are not involved in the hybridization event (e.g., for example, a loop structure or a hairpin structure). The primers of the present invention may comprise at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95% or at least 99% sequence identity with any of the primers listed in Table 1. Thus, in some embodiments of the present invention, an extent of variation of 70% to 100%, or any range therewithin, of the sequence identity is possible relative to the specific primer sequences disclosed herein. Determination of sequence identity is described in the following example: a primer 20 nucleobases in length which differs in contiguous nucleobases from another 20 nucleobase primer by only two residues has 18 of 20 identical residues (18/20=0.9 or 90% sequence identity). In another example, a primer 15 nucleobases in length having all residues identical to a 15 nucleobase segment of another primer that is 20 nucleobases in length would have 15/20=0.75 or 75% sequence identity with the 20 nucleobase primer. In yet another example, a first primer, 35 nucleobases in length having a 20 nucleobase segment which is identical to the entire sequence of a second primer of a length of 20 nucleobases has 100% sequence identity with the second primer.

Percent homology, sequence identity or complementarity, can be determined by, for example, the Gap program (Wisconsin Sequence Analysis Package, Version 8 for UNIX, Genetics Computer Group, University Research Park, Madison Wis.), using default settings, which uses the algorithm of Smith and Waterman (Adv. Appl. Math., 1981, 2, 482-489). In some embodiments, complementarity of primers with respect to the conserved priming regions of viral nucleic acid is between about 70% and 100%. In other embodiments, homology, sequence identity or complementarity, is between about 80% and 100%. In yet other embodiments, homology, sequence identity or complementarity, is at least 90%, at least 92%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99% or is 100%.

In some embodiments, the primers described herein comprise at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 92%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 98%, or at least 99%, or 100% (or any range therewithin) sequence identity with the primer sequences specifically disclosed herein. Thus, for example, a primer may have between 70% and 100%, between 75% and 100%, between 80% and 100%, and between 95% and 100% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO: 1. Likewise, a primer may have similar sequence identity with any other primer whose nucleotide sequence is disclosed in Table 1.

One with ordinary skill is able to calculate percent sequence identity or percent sequence homology and able to determine, without undue experimentation, the effects of variation of primer sequence identity on the function of the primer in its role in priming synthesis of a complementary strand of nucleic acid for production of an amplification product of a corresponding viral bioagent identifying amplicon.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the oligonucleotide primers are 13 to 35 nucleobases in length (13 to 35 linked nucleotide residues; or up to 35 nucleotide residues). These embodiments comprise oligonucleotide primers 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34 or 35 nucleobases in length, or any range therewithin.

In some embodiments, any given primer can comprise a modification comprising the addition of a non-templated T residue to the 5′ end of the primer (i.e., the added T residue does not necessarily hybridize to the nucleic acid being amplified). The addition of a non-templated T residue has an effect of minimizing the addition of non-templated adenyl residues as a result of the non-specific enzyme activity of Taq polymerase (Magnuson et al., Biotechniques, 1996, 21, 700-709), an occurrence which may lead to ambiguous results arising from molecular mass analysis.

In some embodiments of the present invention, primers may contain one or more universal bases. Because any variation (due to codon wobble in the 3^(rd) position) in the conserved regions among species is likely to occur in the third position of a DNA (or RNA) triplet, oligonucleotide primers can be designed such that the nucleotide corresponding to this position is a base which can bind to more than one nucleotide, referred to herein as a “universal nucleobase.” For example, under this “wobble” pairing, inosine (I) binds to U, C or A; guanine (G) binds to U or C, and uridine (U) binds to U or C. Other examples of universal nucleobases include, but are not limited to, nitroindoles such as 5-nitroindole or 3-nitropyrrole (Loakes et al., Nucleosides and Nucleotides, 1995, 14, 1001-1003), the degenerate nucleotides dP or dK (Hill et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 1998, 95, 4258-4263), an acyclic nucleoside analog containing 5-nitroindazole (Van Aerschot et al., Nucleosides and Nucleotides, 1995, 14, 1053-1056) or the purine analog 1-(2-deoxy-β-D-ribofuranosyl)-imidazole-4-carboxamide (Sala et al., Nucl. Acids Res., 1996, 24, 3302-3306).

In some embodiments, to compensate for the somewhat weaker binding by the wobble base, the oligonucleotide primers are designed such that the first and second positions of each triplet are occupied by nucleotide analogs which bind with greater affinity than the unmodified nucleotide. Examples of these analogs include, but are not limited to, 2,6-diaminopurine which binds to thymine, 5-propynyluracil which binds to adenine and 5-propynylcytosine and phenoxazines, including G-clamp, which binds to G. Propynylated pyrimidines are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,645,985, 5,830,653 and 5,484,908, each of which is commonly owned and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Propynylated primers are described in U.S Patent Application Publication No. 2003-0170682, which is also commonly owned and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Phenoxazines are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,502,177, 5,763,588, and 6,005,096, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. G-clamps are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,007,992 and 6,028,183, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

In some embodiments, to enable broad priming of rapidly evolving RNA viruses, primer hybridization is enhanced using primers containing 5-propynyl deoxycytidine and deoxythymidine nucleotides. These modified primers offer increased affinity and base pairing selectivity.

In some embodiments, non-template primer tags are used to increase the melting temperature (T_(m)) of a primer-template duplex in order to improve amplification efficiency. A non-template tag is at least three consecutive A or T nucleotide residues on a primer which are not complementary to the template. In any given non-template tag, A can be replaced by C or G and T can also be replaced by C or G. Although Watson-Crick hybridization is not expected to occur for a non-template tag relative to the template, the extra hydrogen bond in a G-C pair relative to an A-T pair confers increased stability of the primer-template duplex and improves amplification efficiency for subsequent cycles of amplification when the primers hybridize to strands synthesized in previous cycles.

In other embodiments, propynylated tags may be used in a manner similar to that of the non-template tag, wherein two or more 5-propynylcytidine or 5-propynyluridine residues replace template matching residues on a primer. In other embodiments, a primer contains a modified internucleoside linkage such as a phosphorothioate linkage, for example.

In some embodiments, the primers contain mass-modifying tags. Reducing the total number of possible base compositions of a nucleic acid of specific molecular weight provides a means of avoiding a persistent source of ambiguity in determination of base composition of amplification products. Addition of mass-modifying tags to certain nucleobases of a given primer will result in simplification of de novo determination of base composition of a given bioagent identifying amplicon from its molecular mass.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the mass modified nucleobase comprises one or more of the following: for example, 7-deaza-2′-deoxyadenosine-5-triphosphate, 5-iodo-2′-deoxyuridine-5′-triphosphate, 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine-5′-triphosphate, 5-bromo-2′-deoxycytidine-5′-triphosphate, 5-iodo-2′-deoxycytidine-5′-triphosphate, 5-hydroxy-2′-deoxyuridine-5′-triphosphate, 4-thiothymidine-5′-triphosphate, 5-aza-2′-deoxyuridine-5′-triphosphate, 5-fluoro-2′-deoxyuridine-5′-triphosphate, O6-methyl-2′-deoxyguanosine-5′-triphosphate, N2-methyl-2′-deoxyguanosine-5′-triphosphate, 8-oxo-2′-deoxyguanosine-5′-triphosphate, or thiothymidine-5′-triphosphate. In some embodiments, the mass-modified nucleobase comprises ¹⁵N or ¹³C or both ¹⁵N and ¹³C.

In some cases, a molecular mass of a given bioagent identifying amplicon alone does not provide enough resolution to unambiguously identify a given bioagent. The employment of more than one viral bioagent identifying amplicon for identification of a bioagent is herein referred to as triangulation identification. Triangulation identification is pursued by analyzing a plurality of bioagent identifying amplicons selected within multiple genes. This process is used to reduce false negative and false positive signals, and enable reconstruction of the origin of hybrid or otherwise engineered bioagents. For example, identification of the three part toxin genes typical of B. anthracis (Bowen et al., J. Appl. Microbiol., 1999, 87, 270-278) in the absence of the expected signatures from a representative orthopoxvirus genome would suggest a genetic engineering event.

In some embodiments, the triangulation identification process can be pursued by characterization of bioagent identifying amplicons in a massively parallel fashion using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), such as multiplex PCR where multiple primers are employed in the same amplification reaction mixture, or PCR in multi-well plate format wherein a different and unique pair of primers is used in multiple wells containing otherwise identical reaction mixtures. Such multiplex and multi-well PCR methods are well known to those with ordinary skill in the arts of rapid throughput amplification of nucleic acids.

In some embodiments, the molecular mass of a given viral bioagent identifying amplicon is determined by mass spectrometry. Mass spectrometry has several advantages, not the least of which is high bandwidth characterized by the ability to separate (and isolate) many molecular peaks across a broad range of mass to charge ratio (m/z). Thus mass spectrometry is intrinsically a parallel detection scheme without the need for radioactive or fluorescent labels or probes, since every amplification product is identified by its molecular mass. The current state of the art in mass spectrometry is such that less than femtomole quantities of material can be readily analyzed to afford information about the molecular contents of the sample. An accurate assessment of the molecular mass of the material can be quickly obtained, irrespective of whether the molecular weight of the sample is several hundred, or in excess of one hundred thousand atomic mass units (amu) or Daltons.

In some embodiments, intact molecular ions are generated from amplification products using one of a variety of ionization techniques to convert the sample to gas phase. These ionization methods include, but are not limited to, electrospray ionization (ES), matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) and fast atom bombardment (FAB). Upon ionization, several peaks are observed from one sample due to the formation of ions with different charges. Averaging the multiple readings of molecular mass obtained from a single mass spectrum affords an estimate of molecular mass of the bioagent identifying amplicon. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) is particularly useful for very high molecular weight polymers such as proteins and nucleic acids having molecular weights greater than 10 kDa, since it yields a distribution of multiply-charged molecules of the sample without causing a significant amount of fragmentation.

The mass detectors used in the methods of the present invention include, but are not limited to, Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS), time of flight (TOF), ion trap, quadrupole, magnetic sector, Q-TOF, and triple quadrupole.

Although the molecular mass of amplification products obtained using intelligent primers provides a means for identification of bioagents, conversion of molecular mass data to a base composition signature is useful for certain analyses. As used herein, a base composition signature (BCS) is the exact base composition determined from the molecular mass of a bioagent identifying amplicon. In one embodiment, a BCS provides an index of a specific gene in a specific organism. As used herein, a base composition is the exact number of each nucleobase (A, T, C and G).

RNA viruses depend on error-prone polymerases for replication and therefore their nucleotide sequences (and resultant base compositions) drift over time within the functional constraints allowed by selection pressure. Base composition probability distribution of a viral species or group represents a probabilistic distribution of the above variation in the A, C, G and T base composition space and can be derived by analyzing base compositions of, for example, all known isolates of that particular species.

In some embodiments, assignment of the likelihood that a previously unknown or un-indexed base composition corresponds to a particular virus, or a related member of a group of viruses is accomplished using base composition probability clouds or base composition density polyhedrons. Base compositions, like sequences, vary slightly from isolate to isolate within species or individual genotypes. It is possible to manage this diversity by building base composition probability clouds around the composition constraints for each species. This permits identification of organisms in a fashion similar to sequence analysis. A pseudo four-dimensional plot can be used to visualize the concept of base composition probability clouds. Likewise, a system of tetrahedral axes can be used to build a polyhedron according to seven base composition constraints. Optimal primer design requires optimal choice of bioagent identifying amplicons and maximizes the separation between the base composition signatures of individual bioagents. Areas where clouds overlap indicate regions that may result in a misclassification, a problem which is overcome by a triangulation identification process using bioagent identifying amplicons not affected by overlap of base composition probability clouds or density polyhedrons.

In some embodiments, pre-calculated base composition probability clouds provide the means for screening potential primer pairs in order to avoid potential misclassifications of base compositions. In other embodiments, base composition probability clouds provide the means for predicting the identity of a bioagent whose assigned base composition was not previously observed and/or indexed in a bioagent identifying amplicon base composition database due to evolutionary transitions in its nucleic acid sequence. Thus, in contrast to probe-based techniques, mass spectrometry determination of base composition does not require prior knowledge of the composition or sequence in order to make the measurement. Methods of calculating base composition probability clouds are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004-0209260. Likewise methods of calculating base composition density polyhedrons are described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/073,362.

The present invention provides bioagent classifying information similar to DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis at a level sufficient to identify a given bioagent. Furthermore, the process of determination of a previously unknown base composition for a given bioagent (for example, in a case where sequence information is unavailable) has downstream utility by providing additional bioagent indexing information with which to populate base composition databases. The process of future bioagent identification is, thus, greatly improved as more base compositions become available in base composition databases.

In some embodiments, the identity and quantity of an unknown bioagent can be determined using a representative process illustrated in FIG. 2. Primers (500) and a known quantity of a calibration polynucleotide (505) are added to a sample containing nucleic acid of an unknown bioagent (508). The total nucleic acid in the sample is then subjected to an amplification reaction to obtain amplification products (510). The molecular masses of amplification products are determined from which are obtained molecular mass and abundance data (515). The molecular mass of the bioagent identifying amplicon (520) provides the means for its identification (525) and the molecular mass of the calibration amplicon obtained from the calibration polynucleotide (530) provides the means for its identification (535). The abundance data of the bioagent identifying amplicon (540) is recorded and the abundance data for the calibration data (545) is recorded, both of which are used in a calculation which determines the quantity of unknown bioagent in the sample (550).

For concurrent identification and quantitation of an unknown bioagent, a sample comprising the unknown bioagent is contacted with a pair of primers which provide the means for amplification of nucleic acid from the bioagent, and a known quantity of a polynucleotide that comprises a calibration sequence. The nucleic acids of the bioagent and of the calibration sequence are amplified and the rate of amplification is reasonably assumed to be similar for the nucleic acid of the bioagent and of the calibration sequence. The amplification reaction then produces two amplification products: a bioagent identifying amplicon and a calibration amplicon. The bioagent identifying amplicon and the calibration amplicon should be distinguishable by molecular mass while being amplified at essentially the same rate. Effecting differential molecular masses can be accomplished by choosing as a calibration sequence, a representative bioagent identifying amplicon (from a specific species of bioagent) and performing, for example, a 2-8 nucleobase deletion or insertion within the variable region between the two priming sites. The amplified sample containing the bioagent identifying amplicon and the calibration amplicon is then subjected to molecular mass analysis by, for example, mass spectrometry. The resulting molecular mass analysis of the nucleic acid of the bioagent and of the calibration sequence provides molecular mass data and abundance data for the nucleic acid of the bioagent and of the calibration sequence. The molecular mass data obtained for the nucleic acid of the bioagent enables identification of the unknown bioagent and the abundance data enables calculation of the quantity of the bioagent, based on the knowledge of the quantity of calibration polynucleotide contacted with the sample.

In some embodiments, construction of a standard curve where the amount of calibration polynucleotide spiked into the sample is varied provides additional resolution and improved confidence for the determination of the quantity of bioagent in the sample. The use of standard curves for analytical determination of molecular quantities is well known to one with ordinary skill and can be performed without undue experimentation.

In some embodiments, multiplex amplification is performed where multiple bioagent identifying amplicons are amplified with multiple primer pairs which also amplify the corresponding standard calibration sequences. In this or other embodiments, the standard calibration sequences are optionally included within a single vector which functions as the calibration polynucleotide. Multiplex amplification methods are well known to those with ordinary skill and can be performed without undue experimentation. However, for the purpose of measurement of bioagent identifying amplicons by mass spectrometry, it is advantageous to ensure that no single strand of a double stranded bioagent identifying amplicon has a molecular mass substantially similar to another single strand present in the multiplex amplification mixture to avoid the presence of overlapping mass peaks in the resulting mass spectrum.

In some embodiments, the calibrant polynucleotide is used as an internal positive control to confirm that amplification conditions and subsequent analysis steps are successful in producing a measurable amplicon. Even in the absence of copies of the genome of a bioagent, the calibration polynucleotide should give rise to a calibration amplicon. Failure to produce a measurable calibration amplicon indicates a failure of amplification or subsequent analysis step such as amplicon purification or molecular mass determination. Reaching a conclusion that such failures have occurred is in itself, a useful event.

In some embodiments, the calibration sequence is comprised of DNA. In some embodiments, the calibration sequence is comprised of RNA.

In some embodiments, the calibration sequence is inserted into a vector which then itself functions as the calibration polynucleotide. In some embodiments, more than one calibration sequence is inserted into the vector that functions as the calibration polynucleotide. Such a calibration polynucleotide is herein termed a “combination calibration polynucleotide.” The process of inserting polynucleotides into vectors is routine to those skilled in the art and can be accomplished without undue experimentation. Thus, it should be recognized that the calibration method should not be limited to the embodiments described herein. The calibration method can be applied for determination of the quantity of any bioagent identifying amplicon when an appropriate standard calibrant polynucleotide sequence is designed and used. The process of choosing an appropriate vector for insertion of a calibrant is also a routine operation that can be accomplished by one with ordinary skill without undue experimentation.

Bioagents that can be identified by the methods of the present invention include RNA viruses. The genomes of RNA viruses can be positive-sense single-stranded RNA, negative-sense single-stranded RNA or double-stranded RNA. Examples of RNA viruses with positive-sense single-stranded genomes include, but are not limited to members of the Caliciviridae, Picornaviridae, Flaviviridae, Togaviridae, Retroviridae and Coronaviridae families. Examples of RNA viruses with negative-sense single-stranded RNA genomes include, but are not limited to, members of the Filoviridae, Rhabdoviridae, Bunyaviridae, Orthomyxoviridae, Paramyxoviridae and Arenaviridae families. Examples of RNA viruses with double-stranded RNA genomes include, but are not limited to, members of the Reoviridae and Bimaviridae families.

In some embodiments of the present invention, RNA viruses are identified by first obtaining RNA from an RNA virus, or a sample containing or suspected of containing an RNA virus, obtaining corresponding DNA from the RNA by reverse transcription, amplifying the DNA to obtain one or more amplification products using one or more pairs of oligonucleotide primers that bind to conserved regions of the RNA viral genome, which flank a variable region of the genome, determining the molecular mass or base composition of the one or more amplification products and comparing the molecular masses or base compositions with calculated or experimentally determined molecular masses or base compositions of known RNA viruses, wherein at least one match identifies the RNA virus. Methods of isolating RNA from RNA viruses and/or samples containing RNA viruses, and reverse transcribing RNA to DNA are well known to those of skill in the art.

Orthopoxviruses represent DNA virus examples of viral bioagents which can be identified by the methods of the present invention. Orthopoxviruses are extremely diverse at the nucleotide and protein sequence levels and are thus difficult to detect and identify using currently available diagnostic techniques.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the orthopoxvirus target gene is DNA polymerase, RNA polymerase, DNA helicase, RNA helicase, or thioredoxin-like gene.

In other embodiments of the present invention, the intelligent primers produce bioagent identifying amplicons within stable and highly conserved regions of orthopoxvirus genomes. The advantage to characterization of an amplicon in a highly conserved region is that there is a low probability that the region will evolve past the point of primer recognition, in which case, the amplification step would fail. Such a primer set is, thus, useful as, for example, a broad range survey-type primer. In another embodiment of the present invention, the intelligent primers produce bioagent identifying amplicons in a region which evolves more quickly than the stable region described above. The advantage of characterization bioagent identifying amplicon corresponding to an evolving genomic region is that it is useful for distinguishing emerging strain variants.

The present invention also has significant advantages as a platform for identification of diseases caused by emerging viruses. The present invention eliminates the need for prior knowledge of bioagent sequence to generate hybridization probes. Thus, in another embodiment, the present invention provides a means of determining the etiology of a virus infection when the process of identification of viruses is carried out in a clinical setting and, even when the virus is a new species never observed before. This is possible because the methods are not confounded by naturally occurring evolutionary variations (a major concern for characterization of viruses which evolve rapidly) occurring in the sequence acting as the template for production of the bioagent identifying amplicon. Measurement of molecular mass and determination of base composition is accomplished in an unbiased manner without sequence prejudice.

Another embodiment of the present invention also provides a means of tracking the spread of any species or strain of virus when a plurality of samples obtained from different locations are analyzed by the methods described above in an epidemiological setting. In one embodiment, a plurality of samples from a plurality of different locations is analyzed with primers which produce viral bioagent identifying amplicons, a subset of which contains a specific virus. The corresponding locations of the members of the virus-containing subset indicate the spread of the specific virus to the corresponding locations.

The present invention also provides kits for carrying out the methods described herein. In some embodiments, the kit may comprise a sufficient quantity of one or more primer pairs to perform an amplification reaction on a target polynucleotide from a bioagent to form a bioagent identifying amplicon. In some embodiments, the kit may comprise from one to fifty primer pairs, from one to twenty primer pairs, from one to ten primer pairs, or from two to five primer pairs. In some embodiments, the kit may comprise one or more, two or more, three or more, or four or more primer pairs, wherein each member of the pair is of a length of 13 to 35 nucleobases and has 70% to 100% sequence identity with any of the primers recited in Table 1.

In some embodiments, the kit may comprise one or more broad range survey primer(s), division wide primer(s), or drill-down primer(s), or any combination thereof. A kit may be designed so as to comprise particular primer pairs for identification of a particular bioagent. For example, a broad range survey primer kit may be used initially to identify an unknown bioagent as a member of the Orthopoxvirus genus. Another example of a division-wide kit may be used to distinguish Bangladesh 1975, India-1967 and Garcia-1966 strains of variola virus from each other. A drill-down kit may be used, for example, to distinguish different subtypes or genotypes of orthopoxviruses. In some embodiments, any of these kits may be combined to comprise a combination of broad range survey primers and division-wide primers so as to be able to identify the species of an unknown bioagent.

In some embodiments, the kit may contain standardized calibration polynucleotides for use as internal amplification calibrants. Internal calibrants are described in commonly owned U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 60/545,425, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

In some embodiments, the kit may also comprise a sufficient quantity of reverse transcriptase (if an RNA virus is to be identified for example), a DNA polymerase, suitable nucleoside triphosphates (including any of those described above), a DNA ligase, and/or reaction buffer, or any combination thereof, for the amplification processes described above. A kit may further include instructions pertinent for the particular embodiment of the kit, such instructions describing the primer pairs and amplification conditions for operation of the method. A kit may also comprise amplification reaction containers such as microcentrifuge tubes and the like. A kit may also comprise reagents or other materials for isolating bioagent nucleic acid or bioagent identifying amplicons from amplification, including, for example, detergents, solvents, or ion exchange resins which may be linked to magnetic beads. A kit may also comprise a container such as a 96-well plate. A kit may also comprise a table of measured or calculated molecular masses and/or base compositions of bioagents using the primer pairs of the kit.

While the present invention has been described with specificity in accordance with certain of its embodiments, the following examples serve only to illustrate the invention and are not intended to limit the same. In order that the invention disclosed herein may be more efficiently understood, examples are provided below. It should be understood that these examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not to be construed as limiting the invention in any manner.

EXAMPLES Example 1 Orthopoxvirus Identifying Amplicons

For design of primers that define orthopoxvirus identifying amplicons, all available sequences for members of the Orthopoxvirus genus were obtained from GenBank and the Poxvirus database (world wide web at poxvirus.org) and aligned and scanned for regions where pairs of PCR primers would amplify products between about 45 to about 200 nucleotides in length and distinguish species and/or sub-species from each other by their molecular masses or base compositions. A typical process shown in FIG. 1 is employed.

A database of expected base compositions for each primer region is generated using an in silico PCR search algorithm, such as (ePCR). An existing RNA structure search algorithm (Macke et al., Nucl. Acids Res., 2001, 29, 4724-4735, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety) has been modified to include PCR parameters such as hybridization conditions, mismatches, and thermodynamic calculations (SantaLucia, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 1998, 95, 1460-1465, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). This also provides information on primer specificity of the selected primer pairs.

Table 1 represents a collection of primers (sorted by forward primer name) designed to identify orthopoxviruses using the methods described herein. Primer sites were identified on five essential genes: DNA polymerase (E9L), RNA polymerase (A24R) DNA helicase (A18R), RNA helicase (K8R) and thioredoxin-like gene (A25L). The forward or reverse primer name shown in Table 1 indicates the gene region of the viral genome to which the primer hybridizes relative to a reference sequence. For example, the forward primer name K8R_NC001611_(—)221_(—)238_F indicates a forward primer “_F” that hybridizes to residues 221-238 of an orthopoxvirus reference sequence represented by GenBank Accession No. NC001611. In Table 1, T^(a)=5-propynyluracil (a propynylated version of T); and C^(a)=5-propynylcytosine (a propynylated version of C). The primer pair number is an in-house database index number.

TABLE 1 Primer Pairs for Identification of Orthopoxvirus Bioagents Primer Pair Forward For SEQ Reverse Rev SEQ Number Primer Name Forward Sequence ID NO: Primer Name Reverse Sequence ID NO: 296 A18R_NC001611_ GAAGT^(a)T^(a)GAAC^(a)C^(a)GGGATCA 1 A18R_NC001611_ ATTATCGGT^(a)C^(a)GT^(a)T^(a)GT^(a)T^(a)AATGT 24 100_117P_F 187_207P_R 297 A18R_NC001611_ CTGT^(a)C^(a)T^(a)GTAGATAAAC^(a)T^(a) 2 A18R_NC001611_ CGTTC^(a)T^(a)T^(a)C^(a)T^(a)C^(a)T^(a)GGAGGAT 25 1348_1370P_F AGGATT 1428_1445P_R 298 K8R_NC001611_ CT^(a)C^(a)C^(a)TC^(a)C^(a)ATCAC^(a)T^(a)AG 3 K8R_NC001611_ CTATAACAT^(a)T^(a)C^(a)AAAGC^(a)T^(a)T^(a)ATT 26 221_238P_F GAA 290_311P_R G 299 E9L_NC001611_ CGATAC^(a)T^(a)AC^(a)GGACGC 4 E9L_NC001611_ CTTTATGAAT^(a)T^(a)AC^(a)T^(a)T^(a)T^(a)ACAT 27 1119_1133P_F 1201_1222P_R AT 300 A25L_NC001611_ GTAC^(a)T^(a)GAAT^(a)C^(a)C^(a)GC^(a)C^(a)T 5 A25L_NC001611_ GTGAATAAAGTAT^(a)C^(a)GC^(a)C^(a)C^(a)T^(a)A 28 28_45P_F AAG 105_127P_R ATA 301 A24R_NC001611_ CGCGAT^(a)AAT^(a)AGATAGT^(a)G 6 A24R_NC001611_ GCTTC^(a)C^(a)AC^(a)CAGGT^(a)CAT^(a)TAA 29 795_817P_F C^(a)T^(a)AAAC 860_878P_R 308 A18R_NC001611_ GAAGTTGAACCGGGATCA 1 A18R_NC001611_ ATTATCGGTCGTTGTTAATGT 24 100_117_F 187_207_R 309 A18R_NC001611_ CTGTCTGTAGATAAACTAGG 2 A18R_NC001611_ CGTTCTTCTCTGGAGGAT 25 1348_1370_F ATT 1428_1445_R 310 K8R_NC001611_ CTCCTCCATCACTAGGAA 3 K8R_NC001611_ CTATAACATTCAAAGCTTATTG 26 221_238_F 290_311_R 311 E9L_NC001611_ CGATACTACGGACGC 4 E9L_NC001611_ CTTTATGAATTACTTTACATAT 27 1119_1133_F 1201_1222_R 312 A25L_NC001611_ GTACTGAATCCGCCTAAG 5 A25L_NC001611_ GTGAATAAAGTATCGCCCTAATA 28 28_45_F 105_127_R 313 A24R_NC001611_ CGCGATAATAGATAGTGCTA 6 A24R_NC001611_ GCTTCCACCAGGTCATTAA 29 795_817_F AAC 860_878_R 488 A18R_NC001611_ TAGAAGT^(a)T^(a)GAAC^(a)C^(a)GGGA 7 A18R_NC001611_ TATTATCGGT^(a)C^(a)GT^(a)T^(a)GT^(a)T^(a)AAT 30 98_117P_F TCA 187_208P_R GT 489 A18R_NC001611_ TCTGT^(a)C^(a)T^(a)GTAGATAAAC^(a) 8 A18R_NC001611_ TCGTTC^(a)T^(a)T^(a)C^(a)T^(a)C^(a)T^(a)GGAGGAT 31 1347_1370P_F T^(a)AGGATT 1428_1446P_R 490 K8R_NC001611_ TCT^(a)C^(a)C^(a)TC^(a)C^(a)ATCAC^(a)T^(a)AG 9 K8R_NC001611_ TCTATAACAT^(a)T^(a)C^(a)AAAGC^(a)T^(a)T^(a)AT 32 220_238P_F GAA 290_312P_R TG 491 E9L_NC001611_ TCGATAC^(a)T^(a)AC^(a)GGACGC 10 E9L_NC001611_ TCTTTATGAAT^(a)T^(a)AC^(a)T^(a)T^(a)T^(a)ACA 33 1118_1133P_F 1201_1223P_R TAT 492 A25L_NC001611_ TGTAC^(a)T^(a)GAAT^(a)C^(a)C^(a)GC^(a)C^(a) 11 A25L_NC001611_ TGTGAATAAAGTAT^(a)C^(a)GC^(a)C^(a)C^(a)T^(a)A 34 27_45P_F TAAG 105_128P_R ATA 493 A24L_NC001611_ TCGCGAT^(a)AAT^(a)AGATAGT^(a)G 12 A24R_NC001611_ TGCTTC^(a)C^(a)AC^(a)CAGGT^(a)CAT^(a)TAA 35 794_817P_F C^(a)T^(a)AAAC 860_879P_R 979 A18R_NC001611_ TGATTTCGTAGAAGTTGAAC 13 A18R_NC001611_ TCGCGATTTTATTATCGGTCGTTG 36 90_117_F CGGGATCA 187_217_R TTAATGT 980 A18R_NC001611_ TTCTCCCTAGAAGTTGAACC 14 A18R_NC001611_ TCCCTCCCTATTATCGGTCGTTGT 37 91_117_F GGGATCA 187_216_R TAATGT 981 E9L_NC001611_ TGGTGACGATACTACGGACG 15 E9L_NC001611_ TCCCTCCCAATATCTTTACGAATT 38 1113_1133_F C 1201_1235_R ACTTTACATAT 982 E9L_NC001611_ TCGGTGACGATACTACGGAC 16 E9L_NC001611_ TCCTCCCTCCCATCTTTACGAATT 39 1112_1133_F GC 1205_1235_R ACTTTAC 983 E9L_NC001611_ TCGGTGACGATACTACGGAC 17 E9L_NC001611_ TCCTCCCTCCCAATATCTTTACGA 40 1112_1133_F GC 1205_1238_R ATTACTTTAC 984 K8R_NC001611_ TGGAAAAAAAGTATCTCCTC 18 K8R_NC001611_ TCCCTCCCGAAAACTATAACATTC 41 207_238_F CATCACTAGGAA 290_324_R AAAGCTTATTG 985 K8R_NC001611_ TGGAAAGTATCTCCTCCATC 19 K8R_NC001611_ TCCCTCCCTCCCTATAACATTCAA 42 211_242_F ACTAGGAAAACC 290_322_R AGCTTATTG 986 K8R_NC001611_ TCCCTCCTCTCCTCCATCAC 20 K8R_NC001611_ TCCTCCCTCCCTAACATTCAAAGC 43 213_238_F TAGGAA 290_319_R TTATTG 987 A24R_NC001611_ TCTAGTAAACGCGATAATAG 21 A24R_NC001611_ TGTTCAGCTTCCACCAGGTCATTA 44 786_818_F ATAGTGCTAAACG 860_884_R A 988 A24R_NC001611_ TCCTCCTCGCGATAATAGAT 22 A24R_NC001611_ TGTGTTCAGCTTCCACCAGGTCAT 45 788_818_F AGTGCTAAACG 860_886_R TAA 989 A24R_NC001611_ TCCTCCCGCGATAATAGATA 23 A24R_NC001611_ TCCCAGCTTCCACCAGGTCATTAA 46 789_817_F GTGCTAAAC 860_883_R 1066 A18R_NC001611_ TGATTTCGTAGAAGTTGAAC 13 A18R_NC001611_ TCCCTCCCTATTATCGGTCGTTGT 37 90_117_F CGGGATCA 187_216_R TAATGT 1067 A18R_NC001611_ TTCTCCCTAGAAGTTGAACC 14 A18R_NC001611_ TCGCGATTTTATTATCGGTCGTTG 36 91_117_F GGGATCA 187_217_R TTAATGT

Example 2 DNA Isolation and Amplification

Genomic materials from culture samples or swabs are prepared using the DNeasy® 96 Tissue Kit (Qiagen, Valencia, Calif.). All PCR reactions are assembled in 50 μl reactions in a 96 well microtiter plate format using a Packard MPII liquid handling robotic platform and MJ Dyad® thermocyclers (MJ research, Waltham, Mass.). The PCR reaction consists of 4 units of Amplitaq Gold®, 1× buffer II (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, Calif.), 1.5 mM MgCl₂, 0.4 M betaine, 800 μM of dNTP mixture, and 250 nM of each primer.

The following PCR conditions can be used to amplify the sequences used for mass spectrometry analysis: 95° C. for 10 minutes followed by 8 cycles of 95° C. for 30 seconds, 48° C. for 30 seconds, and 72° C. for 30 seconds, with the 48° C. annealing temperature increased 0.9° C. after each cycle. The PCR is then continued for 37 additional cycles of 95° C. for 15 seconds, 56° C. for 20 seconds, and 72° C. for 20 seconds

Example 3 Solution Capture Purification of PCR Products for Mass Spectrometry with Ion Exchange Resin-Magnetic Beads

For solution capture of nucleic acids with ion exchange resin linked to magnetic beads, 25 μl of a 2.5 mg/mL suspension of BioClon amine terminated supraparamagnetic beads were added to 25 to 50 μl of a PCR (or RT-PCR) reaction containing approximately 10 pM of a typical PCR amplification product. The above suspension was mixed for approximately 5 minutes by vortexing or pipetting, after which the liquid was removed after using a magnetic separator. The beads containing bound PCR amplification product were then washed 3 times with 50 mM ammonium bicarbonate/50% MeOH or 100 mM ammonium bicarbonate/50% MeOH, followed by three more washes with 50% MeOH. The bound PCR amplicon was eluted with 25 mM piperidine, 25 mM imidazole, 35% MeOH, plus peptide calibration standards.

Example 4 Mass Spectrometry and Base Composition Analysis

The ESI-FTICR mass spectrometer is based on a Bruker Daltonics (Billerica, Mass.) Apex II 70e electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer that employs an actively shielded 7 Tesla superconducting magnet. The active shielding constrains the majority of the fringing magnetic field from the superconducting magnet to a relatively small volume. Thus, components that might be adversely affected by stray magnetic fields, such as CRT monitors, robotic components, and other electronics, can operate in close proximity to the FTICR spectrometer. All aspects of pulse sequence control and data acquisition were performed on a 600 MHz Pentium II data station running Bruker's) (mass software under Windows NT 4.0 operating system. Sample aliquots, typically 15 μl were extracted directly from 96-well microtiter plates using a CTC HTS PAL autosampler (LEAP Technologies, Carrboro, N.C.) triggered by the FTICR data station. Samples were injected directly into a 10 μl sample loop integrated with a fluidics handling system that supplies the 100 μl/hr flow rate to the ESI source. Ions were formed via electrospray ionization in a modified Analytica (Branford, Conn.) source employing an off axis, grounded electrospray probe positioned approximately 1.5 cm from the metalized terminus of a glass desolvation capillary. The atmospheric pressure end of the glass capillary was biased at 6000 V relative to the ESI needle during data acquisition. A counter-current flow of dry N₂ was employed to assist in the desolvation process. Ions were accumulated in an external ion reservoir comprised of an rf-only hexapole, a skimmer cone, and an auxiliary gate electrode, prior to injection into the trapped ion cell where they were mass analyzed. Ionization duty cycles >99% were achieved by simultaneously accumulating ions in the external ion reservoir during ion detection. Each detection event consisted of 1M data points digitized over 2.3 s. To improve the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N), 32 scans were co-added for a total data acquisition time of 74 s.

The ESI-TOF mass spectrometer is based on a Bruker Daltonics MicroTOFT™. Ions from the ESI source undergo orthogonal ion extraction and are focused in a reflectron prior to detection. The TOF and FTICR are equipped with the same automated sample handling and fluidics described above. Ions are formed in the standard MicroTOFT™ ESI source that is equipped with the same off-axis sprayer and glass capillary as the FTICR ESI source. Consequently, source conditions were the same as those described above. External ion accumulation was also employed to improve ionization duty cycle during data acquisition. Each detection event on the TOF was comprised of 75,000 data points digitized over 75 μs.

The sample delivery scheme allows sample aliquots to be rapidly injected into the electrospray source at high flow rate and subsequently be electrosprayed at a much lower flow rate for improved ESI sensitivity. Prior to injecting a sample, a bolus of buffer was injected at a high flow rate to rinse the transfer line and spray needle to avoid sample contamination/carryover. Following the rinse step, the autosampler injected the next sample and the flow rate was switched to low flow. Following a brief equilibration delay, data acquisition commenced. As spectra were co-added, the autosampler continued rinsing the syringe and picking up buffer to rinse the injector and sample transfer line. In general, two syringe rinses and one injector rinse were required to minimize sample carryover. During a routine screening protocol a new sample mixture was injected every 106 seconds. More recently a fast wash station for the syringe needle has been implemented which, when combined with shorter acquisition times, facilitates the acquisition of mass spectra at a rate of just under one spectrum/minute.

Raw mass spectra were post-calibrated with an internal mass standard and deconvoluted to monoisotopic molecular masses. Unambiguous base compositions were derived from the exact mass measurements of the complementary single-stranded oligonucleotides. Quantitative results are obtained by comparing the peak heights with an internal PCR calibration standard present in every PCR well at 500 molecules per well. Calibration methods are commonly owned and disclosed in U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/545,425.

Example 5 De Novo Determination of Base Composition of Amplification Products Using Molecular Mass Modified Deoxynucleotide Triphosphates

Because the molecular masses of the four natural nucleobases have a relatively narrow molecular mass range (A=313.058, G=329.052, C=289.046, T=304.046—See Table 2), a persistent source of ambiguity in assignment of base composition can occur as follows: two nucleic acid strands having different base composition may have a difference of about 1 Da when the base composition difference between the two strands is G⇄A (−15.994) combined with C⇄T (+15.000). For example, one 99-mer nucleic acid strand having a base composition of A₂₇G₃₀C₂₁T₂₁ has a theoretical molecular mass of 30779.058 while another 99-mer nucleic acid strand having a base composition of A₂₆G₃₁C₂₂T₂₀ has a theoretical molecular mass of 30780.052. A 1 Da difference in molecular mass may be within the experimental error of a molecular mass measurement and thus, the relatively narrow molecular mass range of the four natural nucleobases imposes an uncertainty factor.

The present invention provides for a means for removing this theoretical 1 Da uncertainty factor through amplification of a nucleic acid with one mass-tagged nucleobase and three natural nucleobases. The term “nucleobase” as used herein is synonymous with other terms in use in the art including “nucleotide,” “deoxynucleotide,” “nucleotide residue,” “deoxynucleotide residue,” “nucleotide triphosphate (NTP),” or deoxynucleotide triphosphate (dNTP).

Addition of significant mass to one of the 4 nucleobases (dNTPs) in an amplification reaction, or in the primers themselves, will result in a significant difference in mass of the resulting amplification product (significantly greater than 1 Da) arising from ambiguities arising from the G⇄A combined with C⇄T event (Table 2). Thus, the same the G⇄A (−15.994) event combined with 5-Iodo-C⇄T (−110.900) event would result in a molecular mass difference of 126.894. If the molecular mass of the base composition A₂₇G₃₀ 5-Iodo-C₂ T₂₁ (33422.958) is compared with A₂₆G₃₁5-Iodo-C₂₂T₂₀, (33549.852) the theoretical molecular mass difference is +126.894. The experimental error of a molecular mass measurement is not significant with regard to this molecular mass difference. Furthermore, the only base composition consistent with a measured molecular mass of the 99-mer nucleic acid is A₂₇G₃₀5-Iodo-C₂T₂. In contrast, the analogous amplification without the mass tag has 18 possible base compositions.

TABLE 2 Molecular Masses of Natural Nucleobases and the Mass-Modified Nucleobase 5-Iodo-C and Molecular Mass Differences Resulting from Transitions Nucleobase Molecular Mass Transition Δ Molecular Mass A 313.058 A-->T −9.012 A 313.058 A-->C −24.012 A 313.058 A-->5-Iodo-C 101.888 A 313.058 A-->G 15.994 T 304.046 T-->A 9.012 T 304.046 T-->C −15.000 T 304.046 T-->5-Iodo-C 110.900 T 304.046 T-->G 25.006 C 289.046 C-->A 24.012 C 289.046 C-->T 15.000 C 289.046 C-->G 40.006 5-Iodo-C 414.946 5-Iodo-C-->A −101.888 5-Iodo-C 414.946 5-Iodo-C-->T −110.900 5-Iodo-C 414.946 5-Iodo-C-->G −85.894 G 329.052 G-->A −15.994 G 329.052 G-->T −25.006 G 329.052 G-->C −40.006 G 329.052 G-->5-Iodo-C 85.894

Example 6 Data Processing

Mass spectra of bioagent identifying amplicons are analyzed independently using a maximum-likelihood processor, such as is widely used in radar signal processing. This processor, referred to as GenX, first makes maximum likelihood estimates of the input to the mass spectrometer for each primer by running matched filters for each base composition aggregate on the input data. This includes the GenX response to a calibrant for each primer.

The algorithm emphasizes performance predictions culminating in probability-of-detection versus probability-of-false-alarm plots for conditions involving complex backgrounds of naturally occurring organisms and environmental contaminants. Matched filters consist of a priori expectations of signal values given the set of primers used for each of the bioagents. A genomic sequence database is used to define the mass base count matched filters. The database contains the sequences of known bacterial bioagents and includes threat organisms as well as benign background organisms. The latter is used to estimate and subtract the spectral signature produced by the background organisms.

A maximum likelihood detection of known background organisms is implemented using matched filters and a running-sum estimate of the noise covariance. Background signal strengths are estimated and used along with the matched filters to form signatures which are then subtracted. The maximum likelihood process is applied to this “cleaned up” data in a similar manner employing matched filters for the organisms and a running-sum estimate of the noise-covariance for the cleaned up data.

The amplitudes of all base compositions of bioagent identifying amplicons for each primer are calibrated and a final maximum likelihood amplitude estimate per organism is made based upon the multiple single primer estimates. Models of all system noise are factored into this two-stage maximum likelihood calculation. The processor reports the number of molecules of each base composition contained in the spectra. The quantity of amplification product corresponding to the appropriate primer set is reported as well as the quantities of primers remaining upon completion of the amplification reaction.

Example 7 Identification of Members of the Viral Genus Orthopoxvirus

DNA for five different test orthopoxvirus species from the laboratory of Dr. Chris Upton at University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada: monkeypox (MPXV-VR267), cowpox (BR), rabbitpox (Utrecht), vaccinia (WR) and ectromelia (Moscow). PCR products corresponding to orthopoxvirus identifying amplicons were generated according to Example 2 from each of the test viruses using primer pair nos: 296, 297, 299, 310, 312 and 313 (Table 1). PCR products were purified according to Example 3 and analyzed by mass spectrometry according to Example 4 with data processing according to Example 6.

Spectra were processed by an algorithm that converts molecular mass to base composition data. All detected masses could be unambiguously mapped to specific base compositions, which were compared to the pre-compiled database of expected products from each of these viruses. FIG. 3 (primer pair number 299) and FIG. 4 (primer pair number 297) show the deconvoluted base compositions (solid cones) of the experimentally measured spectra in a three-dimensional plot (A, G, C axes, with the T counts represented by the tilt of the cone), overlaid on the expected base count distributions (hollow spheres) of the orthopoxvirus species where sequence data was available. Compositions for the test strains are shown as a solid cone projected onto the same plot. The experimentally determined base compositions with compositions expected from the sequences in GenBank for all five viruses tested. Vaccinia and ectromelia viruses gave expected products consistent with the database sequence entry in each primer region. In the case of the rabbitpox virus, the sequence of the target region was identical to vaccinia virus in all primer regions selected and not distinguished by the primers described above.

At the time of primer design, the only strain of monkeypox virus deposited in GenBank was the Zaire 96_I-16 strain. The experimentally determined base compositions for the MPXVVR267 strain were different from those for the Zaire strain. The experimentally determined based-counts were subsequently validated by comparison to the full genome sequence for the VR267 strain (unpublished results—Chris Upton, University of Victoria). Thus a new variant of a known orthopoxvirus species was identified with the same technology used for primary detection, without the requirement of additional analysis and/or design.

A whole genome sequence for a new strain of cowpox, GRI-90 strain was published as these experiments were in progress. Analysis of several conserved genes across all of the orthopoxvirus genera revealed that this strain was closer to vaccinia strains than it was to the previously known Brighton Red strains of cowpox. The material that was tested in the lab was clearly the BR strain as evidenced by the perfect match to the expected base counts for these in the database.

Table 3 shows the expected base counts of the various orthopoxvirus species for all primer regions tested. The isolates used in this test are indicated. In every test instance, the experimentally measured signals matched database predicted base compositions. While a single primer target region might not resolve all species unambiguously, species can clearly be clearly identified and differentiated from one another using the triangulation strategy with multiple orthopoxvirus identifying amplicons obtained from priming of different genetic loci. For example, primer pair no. 310 does not distinguish the CMS and M-92(2) strains of Camelpox virus but primer pair 296 does distinguish these two strains because it produces two distinct base compositions.

TABLE 3 Orthopoxvirus Species Base Compositions for Primer Pair Nos: 296, 297, 299, 310, 312 and 313 Orthopoxvirus Primer Primer Primer Primer Primer Primer Species and Pair Pair Pair Pair Pair Pair GenBank No: 310 No: 296 No: 313 No: 299 No: 312 No: 297 Accession Strain [A G C T] Camelpox virus CMS A38 G11 A32 G20 A29 G15 A38 G23 A30 G19 A37 G17 AY009089 C23 T19 C23 T33 C14 T26 C16 T30 C18 T33 C22 T22 Camelpox virus M-96 A38 G11 A32 G19 A29 G15 A38 G23 A30 G19 A37 G17 AF438165 C23 T19 C23 T34 C14 T26 C16 T30 C18 T33 C22 T22 Cowpox virus Brighton A33 G14 A36 G18 A29 G15 A36 G25 A25 G24 A36 G17 AF482758 Red C18 T26 C23 T31 C16 T24 C17 T29 C21 T30 C22 T20 Cowpox virus GRI-90 A37 G11 A33 G19 A30 G15 A36 G25 A27 G23 A36 G18 X94355 C24 T19 C24 T32 C13 T26 C17 T29 C19 T31 C22 T22 Ectromelia Moscow A34 G13 A33 G19 A30 G15 A38 G25 A27 G22 A38 G16 virus C17 T27 C24 T32 C13 T26 C15 T29 C19 T32 C22 T22 AF012825 Monkeypox WR-267 A34 G14 A33 G20 A29 G15 A39 G24 A28 G20 A36 G17 virus C18 T25 C22 T33 C15 T25 C16 T28 C21 T34 C22 T20 AY603973 Monkeypox Zaire- A34 G14 A33 G20 A28 G16 A40 G24 A28 G20 A34 G19 virus 96-I-16 C18 T25 C22 T33 C15 T25 C14 T29 C21 T34 C22 T20 AF380138 Vaccinia virus Copenhagen A38 G10 A32 G21 A30 G15 A37 G25 A25 G23 A38 G16 M35027 C24 T19 C24 T31 C13 T26 C16 T29 C20 T31 C21 T23 Vaccinia virus Tian Tan A36 G12 A32 G21 A30 G15 A37 G25 A27 G22 A38 G16 AF095689 C24 T19 C24 T31 C13 T26 C16 T29 C19 T31 C21 T23 Vaccinia virus Western A36 G12 A33 G20 A30 G15 A37 G25 A27 G23 A37 G17 AY243312 Reserve C24 T19 C23 T32 C13 T26 C16 T29 C18 T32 C21 T23 Vaccinia virus Ankara A36 G12 A33 G20 A30 G15 A37 G25 A25 G24 A38 G16 U94848 C24 T19 C23 T32 C13 T26 C16 T29 C20 T31 C21 T23 Vaccinia virus Rabbitpox A36 G12 A33 G20 A30 G15 A37 G25 A25 G24 A37 G17 AY484669 Utrecht C24 T19 C23 T32 C13 T26 C16 T29 C20 T31 C21 T23 Variola major Bangladesh- A36 G11 A33 G20 A28 G16 A36 G23 A28 G21 A36 G18 virus 1975 C24 T20 C20 T35 C14 T26 C15 T30 C16 T35 C21 T23 L22579 Variola major India- A36 G11 A33 G20 A28 G16 A36 G23 A28 G21 A36 G18 virus 1967 C24 T20 C20 T35 C14 T26 C15 T30 C16 T35 C21 T23 S55844 Variola major Garcia- A36 G11 A34 G19 A28 G16 A36 G23 A28 G21 A36 G18 virus 1966 C24 T20 C21 T34 C14 T26 C15 T30 C16 T35 C21 T23 Y16780

Various modifications of the invention, in addition to those described herein, will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description. Such modifications are also intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims. Each reference (including, but not limited to, journal articles, U.S. and non-U.S. patents, patent application publications, international patent application publications, gene bank accession numbers, internet web sites, and the like) cited in the present application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that numerous changes and modifications may be made to the embodiments of the invention and that such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is therefore intended that the appended claims cover all such equivalent variations as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. 

1-18. (canceled)
 19. A method for identification of an unknown orthopoxvirus comprising: amplifying nucleic acid from said orthopoxvirus using an oligonucleotide primer 13 to 35 nucleobases in length comprising at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO: 1 and an oligonucleotide primer 15 to 35 nucleobases in length comprising at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO: 24 to obtain an amplification product; measuring the molecular mass of said amplification product; optionally, determining the base composition of said amplification product from said molecular mass; and comparing said molecular mass or base composition with a plurality of molecular masses or base compositions of known orthopoxvirus bioagent identifying amplicons, wherein a match between said molecular mass or base composition and a member of said plurality of molecular masses or base compositions identifies said unknown orthopoxvirus.
 20. A method of determining the presence or absence of an orthopoxvirus species in a sample comprising: amplifying nucleic acid from said sample using the composition of an oligonucleotide primer 13 to 35 nucleobases in length comprising at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO: 1 and an oligonucleotide primer 15 to 35 nucleobases in length comprising at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO: 24 to obtain an amplification product; determining the molecular mass of said amplification product; optionally, determining the base composition of said amplification product from said molecular mass; and comparing said molecular mass or base composition of said amplification product with the known molecular masses or base compositions of one or more known orthopoxvirus species bioagent identifying amplicons, wherein a match between said molecular mass or base composition of said amplification product and the molecular mass or base composition of one or more known orthopoxvirus species bioagent identifying amplicons indicates the presence of said orthopoxvirus species in said sample.
 21. A method for determination of the quantity of an unknown orthopoxvirus in a sample comprising: contacting said sample with an oligonucleotide primer 13 to 35 nucleobases in length comprising at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO: 1 and an oligonucleotide primer 15 to 35 nucleobases in length comprising at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO: 24 and a known quantity of a calibration polynucleotide comprising a calibration sequence; concurrently amplifying nucleic acid from said orthopoxvirus in said sample with an oligonucleotide primer 13 to 35 nucleobases in length comprising at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO: 1 and an oligonucleotide primer 15 to 35 nucleobases in length comprising at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO: 24 and amplifying nucleic acid from said calibration polynucleotide in said sample with an oligonucleotide primer 13 to 35 nucleobases in length comprising at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO: 1 and an oligonucleotide primer 15 to 35 nucleobases in length comprising at least 70% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO: 24 to obtain a first amplification product comprising an orthopoxvirus bioagent identifying amplicon and a second amplification product comprising a calibration amplicon; determining the molecular mass and abundance for said orthopoxvirus bioagent identifying amplicon and said calibration amplicon; and distinguishing said orthopoxvirus bioagent identifying amplicon from said calibration amplicon based on molecular mass, wherein comparison of orthopoxvirus bioagent identifying amplicon abundance and calibration amplicon abundance indicates the quantity of orthopoxvirus in said sample.
 22. The method of claim 21 further comprising repeating said steps, wherein a different primer pair is used, wherein each member of said different primer pair is of a length of 13 to 35 nucleobases and comprises 70% to 100% sequence identity with the corresponding member of any of the pairs of primers of SEQ ID NOs: 2:25, 3:26, 5:28, 6:29, or 7:30.
 23. The method of claim 21 further comprising repeating said steps, wherein two different primer pairs are used, wherein each member of said two different primer pairs is of a length of 13 to 35 nucleobases and comprises 70% to 100% sequence identity with the corresponding member of any of the pairs of primers of SEQ ID NOs: 2:25, 3:26, 5:28, 6:29, or 7:30.
 24. The method of claim 21 further comprising repeating said steps, wherein three different primer pairs are used, wherein each member of said three different primer pairs is of a length of 13 to 35 nucleobases and comprises 70% to 100% sequence identity with the corresponding member of any of the pairs of primers of SEQ ID NOs: 2:25, 3:26, 5:28, 6:29, or 7:30.
 25. The method of claim 21 further comprising repeating said steps, wherein four different primer pairs are used, wherein each member of said four different primer pairs is of a length of 13 to 35 nucleobases and comprises 70% to 100% sequence identity with the corresponding member of any of the pairs of primers of SEQ ID NOs: 2:25, 3:26, 5:28, 6:29, or 7:30. 